You decide, first edition!

[Zwelgje]

Sadly I couldn't find my number one so I pick my number 2 and sadly that wont make it even in 2016...

While FC is working on the new Engine and NPE a lot of which comes after the NPE is highly outdated. I guess the main focus of the Engine and NPE is attracting new players and subscribers. Whom you loose after the NPE if not earlier…

In the NPE I miss a shooting range testing area, where every class is able to test any kind of weapon and learn about specials, lock-outs and cool downs. A lot of the graphics is pimped with the introduction when the new Engine goes live but a lot is still very old and not well supported.

So my first pick would be the update of the most used assets, textures, meshes and weapon revamping (effects etc) while upgrading the existing instances with more shinny from the new engine.

Next to that, reintroduce the empty bullet shell weapon effect (lowest row middle picture - see link) for ranged weapons

Not to forget the following pictures:
http://www.ao-universe.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5340

[haide]

Humn,

Seeing that the tower wars option is most likey going to win ... here is what I would do

Today tower wars start with some one buying and using a 'Emergency Defense Shield Neutralizer' ... first remove that.

EDIT: Or even better as suggested in monthly thread ...

Even as a basic idea, attach a hefty, meaningful cost to emergency defense shield neutralizers (like, at least 10s of millions at TL7), make it required to be used 20 minutes before towers are attacked. Now the defender can know somewhat in advance that either a proper attack is coming or someone just wasted their money. Adjust mechanics as necessary, including tower health (not getting a head start is going to change things a lot) and hot time mechanics.

At the same time, you just created a money sink for the inflated economy. The price should be high, because NW is not designed for individuals anyway. The ultimate aim is to create commitment for the attacker to do just that - attack - so that there is also an incentive to turn up to defend, as the attack is plausible.

Then since we now have a lot of unused city plots ... Id use them ... combine a tower field with a small city plot.

On the city plot there would be the possibilty to place a new type of building (reuse the existing mechanincs for ai buildings) it could be tradeskilled or sold in towershop ... do as you did with the sauna retrofit the drop from existing PVM encounters (or better ofc .. create new ones but not really necessary...)

These new buildings would offer benefits to towers such as more HP, more ADD/AAO, shields and reflect etc ... most importantly there be one that 'shields' the tower field from attack (i.e 75% gas as long as active).

To kill these buildings you don't attack the building itself instead a lvl appropriate raid force go inside (should only be possible in what is today 25% gas lets call this a hot TF) ... upon which the owning org will be notified ofc ... inside could be cross between RK mish & Bidome with the tower boss from s7 as final boss. Change all the mobs/adds/aliens to random robot mobs ... killing the boss/tower would disable/destroy the building, removing the adventage for the towers or open the tower field for attack as appropriate (i.e gas 25%).

Hopefully this would slow attacks down (use many of the slayedroid mobs inside with long hp bars ... or something to ensure that it takes enough time ) ... as well as weed out any non serious griefing attacks (shouldnt be doable with one fixer ... you should need a serious 'raiding force' to open the TF for attack ) ... in the end giving the defenders time to well defend

Also make some item/stim (again buyable, lootable or tradeskillable from some PVM encounter) that could be used on the shield building to 'reboot' it. This would force the tower field go HOT immediately kind of saying we are online now .. come take oure towers If ya can, i.e an open invitation to PVP and then cold for a longer period so as to eat sleep and such in peace .. and after that returning to normal unless the owning org has farmed bought more stims etc ... the purpose of this would ofc be to let the org decide when they want it hot/cold allowing it to adapt for things like life work and such ...


Hopefully doable in 3months time if you are ebale to reuse as I was hinting ... but idk ... it's just my 2 cent !

Today Normal
18h Cold = 75% GAS
5h Hot = 25% GAS
1h Extra Hot = 5% GAS

Suggested Normal
18h cold = 75% GAS & unable to enter instance building.
5h hot = 75% GAS & and opposition fation can do the instance and if shield broken 25% GAS
1h extra hot = 75% GAS and anyone can do the instance and if shield broken 5% GAS

Suggested with stim for "reboot"
1h extra hot = 75% GAS and anyone can do the instance and if shield broken 5% GAS
5h hot = 75% GAS & and opposition fation can do the instance and if shield broken 25% GAS
18h cold = 75% GAS & unable to enter instance building.
and then back to original schedule ...

[emanonmdn1]

I fail to see any changes really. I see where FC continues to go and why I don't know. A wise man once said to continue doing the same thing hoping for a different result is insanity. What I'm talking about is basically you have to team to do anything in this game. For example I'm stuck in Pen. because I can't find a team to get sanctuary key. Or I should say a team where I can get the key. Yesterday I teamed with a 220 advy. who had a 210 MP already in team that he was waiting for to finish up some quests to get the garden key. Four hours later we had a full 6 man team two 210 lvl, me and the MP, and four 220's lvl. After waiting for the Prophet to re- spawn and the battles, I was told I did to little damage to get XP the other players looted everything and I had nothing to show for it NOTHING, what fun. Now in the statements I've read from the other players mostly, and fc is we love making it fun for 220 teams. Now before the flaming starts, ao is losing people to other games on the market, a lot of reasons I'm sure but for people like my brother who played since the beta, and got me interested in this game quit is because he was tired of everything fc did was geared for team play. I'm all for people who want to team and like the social aspect of teaming, but for me I would much rather solo. You can see by the choice's fc give where the game is going, it looks like down the tube. with being investigated for insider trading, and people leaving in droves it seems like they would do something to keep this game alive, but no lets continue to do the same thing hoping for a different out come.

[Zwelgje]

Of forgot another one.

REDO the AO WEBSITE!!!

[nanoforcer]

So at the time i write this there have been 431 ppl that have casted a vote, nice figures i guess.
However, i'm sure there is a big % are "cheating", as in voting several times with different accounts. But anyway, that's not the point here.

I really welcome this method of aproach to the players as to what they like the devs to focus on, but i'm sure that not everybody that uses the forums play the game or vice versa, so if you could find a way in game to ask the players of things like this would be better and reach out to that actually are playing it, instead of only reaching out to the ones that use the forums, mmmkay?

EDIT: I can see that's actually on the logon page, a good start

[Agentcora]

Of forgot another one.

REDO the AO WEBSITE!!!

A million times this!

[Animalz]

* New Instance
I would love to see more content in AO. But A.T.M. Its a required to make players like the game from lvl 1. Something that makes players stick to the game and enjoy playing it.

* Monthly Boss Events
I have seen this in AOC. My opinions about it:
It will ruin the game.
It will make instances run a lot less.
It will remove most players that usualy help people and make newcomers have a even harder time then they already do.
Personally i feel like its a waste of time. Therefor i don't enjoy killing world bosses on a monthly basis. (I know this is in AOC, but it got the same basics)

* Pathfinding
This would be great but its not on the top 10 list of things thats currently needed.

* New Shadowlands Mission
YES!
Would love to see more ways for players to level.. And no faction demands! All players should be able to level together, no matter the faction.

* Towerwars changes
This is a part of the top 3 things that would be great!
Make it more fun.. make it worth it! (Not saying its not paying off). But it should be different from what it is now.

I know its a poll but i wanted to give some feedback onto it! :-)

[Traderjill]

All players should be able to level together, no matter the faction.

I hope this doesn't come off rude, but it might so my apologies in advance. There's a war going on and I don't think people should be teaming to help the enemy. There was a time, when the population was higher, where people (except neutrals) only teamed with their own faction. I'd like to see more benefits of doing this. If someone wants to team with every faction then that's one of the 'benefits' of being neutral. I don't think that benefit should be extended to clan and omni while they maintain the advantages that come along with being sided. (And I have toons of all 3 factions)

[Animalz]

I hope this doesn't come off rude, but it might so my apologies in advance. There's a war going on and I don't think people should be teaming to help the enemy. There was a time, when the population was higher, where people (except neutrals) only teamed with their own faction. I'd like to see more benefits of doing this. If someone wants to team with every faction then that's one of the 'benefits' of being neutral. I don't think that benefit should be extended to clan and omni while they maintain the advantages that come along with being sided. (And I have toons of all 3 factions)

I rarely get offended! I like to see other peoples opinions.

The subject you bring up is more of a PVP thing then PVM. When it comes to missions and leveling.. there are times where teams miss a player or two.. and the "Opposite faction" Got a few players goofing around waiting for a group.. why shouldn't they be able to join if the other team miss a person?

There was a time, when the population was higher, where people (except neutrals) only teamed with their own faction. I'd like to see more benefits of doing this.

I like that idea. Each faction should have more benefits in one way or another.

[Traderjill]

The subject you bring up is more of a PVP thing then PVM. When it comes to missions and leveling.. there are times where teams miss a player or two.. and the "Opposite faction" Got a few players goofing around waiting for a group.. why shouldn't they be able to join if the other team miss a person?

When you choose a side (clan/omni) you are making an ingame statement of support for the principles of that faction. The only choice you really make as a player, playstyle wise, is whether you choose to openly support that choice via attacks against players or NPC's. That's the PvP versus PvM difference, not the existance of the war but how you choose to 'act out' your role within the game.

This is illustrated in a myriad of ways within the game. There's redeemed/unredeemed, friendly/hostile cities, seperate gardens, ingame faction controlled (NPC) camps, token boards, items with faction restrictions, etc. Those are all PvM things that have nothing to do with attacking a player.

[RedWatr]

let's try to stop bumping 24 hour cycles. sites being hot at the same time every day is part of the problem. think of open times in a linear way, so that it naturally cycles open times thru every time zone once a month simply by deleting 1 hour from the entire cycle, creating a 23 hour rotation. is this confusing?


*sorry for crappy example, but it's as clear as I can think to make it ^^

OLD
12pm.........................................12pm. .......................................12pm
|................................................| ...............................................|
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHH...

NEW
12pm.........................................12pm. .......................................12pm
|................................................| ...............................................|
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHH...

you can see the new cycle in action, even over a 3 day period, we lose 1 HOT hour, and replace it with a fair rotation opening the new cycle an hour earlier, and closing it and hour earlier every day.

[McKnuckleSamwich]

ya jey. I have suggested the same. I think we have to get rid of the ridiculous griefing mechanics if we want better tower wars though.

like, clan aligns all tower times because it's the only possible way to defend against such an passive-aggressive grief.

Remove the griefing, open the towers system in a way that promotes strategic war, and open them for longer/shorter/in a rotational clock so everyone has a chance to get in on the action.

What I'd like to see is:

* no functional method to MB in war
* no method to grief
* rotational hot/cold timers (hot site can attack immediately with 3hr hot, cold timers mean 20m warning before attack, and only 1 hour open after warning issued)
* no assist in war/anywhere
* no fixer meeps/team meeps in 25% period


that way you got far more timezone utilization, far more PVP in towers, and far less ganking in war and way more skirmishing.

[Reids]

SL mishes are catching up....imagine the rage if it over-takes.

[Phatkeep]

SL mishes are catching up....imagine the rage if it over-takes.

Rage from who?

[Mako]

I hope this doesn't come off rude, but it might so my apologies in advance. There's a war going on and I don't think people should be teaming to help the enemy. There was a time, when the population was higher, where people (except neutrals) only teamed with their own faction. I'd like to see more benefits of doing this. If someone wants to team with every faction then that's one of the 'benefits' of being neutral. I don't think that benefit should be extended to clan and omni while they maintain the advantages that come along with being sided. (And I have toons of all 3 factions)

..... Seriously, nobody would ever get anything done with that kind of mindset, especially with the population being as it is. As much as I hate RP of any kind, I really hope FC keeps it in the realm of PvP like it is now and leave PvM alone.

[Traderjill]

..... Seriously, nobody would ever get anything done with that kind of mindset, especially with the population being as it is. As much as I hate RP of any kind, I really hope FC keeps it in the realm of PvP like it is now and leave PvM alone.

You can get things done now even with the low population, with that mindset, but as to not argue that point... I was simply stating that I hope they do not chip away at the core concept of the game. All of the efforts they're putting into NPE, Engine, rebalance, etc are (I'd imagine) with the hopes that it'll attract and retain more people. It is a MMORPG and they're making changes with the hopes to increase the MMO part so I'd hope they don't remove the RPG piece. And if people hate RP of any kind they probably shouldn't play RPG's or if they play AO.. just roll neutral.

[Gunforhire]

When you choose a side (clan/omni) you are making an ingame statement of support for the principles of that faction. The only choice you really make as a player, playstyle wise, is whether you choose to openly support that choice via attacks against players or NPC's. That's the PvP versus PvM difference, not the existance of the war but how you choose to 'act out' your role within the game.

This is illustrated in a myriad of ways within the game. There's redeemed/unredeemed, friendly/hostile cities, seperate gardens, ingame faction controlled (NPC) camps, token boards, items with faction restrictions, etc. Those are all PvM things that have nothing to do with attacking a player.

Agreed we need to remember that our choice matters even if only to the side we pick. If an Omni teams with clan to do a team venture in SL they may well wind up killing their own sided mobs. That's not good.

[Reids]

Rage from who?

You.

[Thecrow91]

I couldn't find the 'Outlaw multiboxing' alternative. So I just hit a random bttn.

How? Better yet, why?

[Windguaerd]

Since it seems the NW choice may be the winner, time for some ideas and suggestion towards it.

First of all, there should be a 1-on-1 arena (preferably in Borealis to maintain tradition) and a 6-on-6 arena. The smaller arena should be like a "cage match" feel where once 2 players join it's closed until one is "defeated" or time limit runs out (draw). This would be great as a spectacle for other players in town. Also, an NPC could take wagers on the fight before it begins allowing players to bet on their favorite (small wagers to prevent abuse). A 5 minute time limit should be considered.

The larger arena should have it's own system where you can join the queue for the next match anywhere in-game. Once there are 12 people joined for the match, the game should give each a notification (like battlestation) to do a check before teleporting all players into their team's side of the arena. The look of the place should be like a battlefield which was bombed with damaged walls which provides limited cover but nothing which should hinder movement.

Battlestation should be reworked, where you can ONLY be in a mech. Increase the rewards and add more option to customize the look for mechs like paint kits, emblems, symbols, etc. and don't be afraid to make some of it adult oriented (no full naked Opi but close, you know). If possible add more mechs for variety. Also, have NPC AVT near each respective spawn point to prevent camping. Change the rules so that there is a time limit per match, whichever side has the most points wins if neither hits 500. BS should be fast, exiting, so that players WANT to join the next match, they WANT to get revenge for the last loss or try to continue winning. A 10 minute time limit should be considered.

The forgotten Manta line of ground vehicles were originally meant to become a part of tower wars. That, was an epic fail because the stats on them were ridiculous. However there is an opportunity which could go two ways. One, is to turn it into a non-PvP line of vehicles and drop the price substantially so it's actually an affordable option for lowbie froobs. The second option which is harder to do, is rebalance it so it becomes an viable option for PvP.

As for changes regarding tower fields, that will certainly be a headache because PvP'ers have specific builds for certain QL fields/CT's and any significant changes which would make their set builds that they've played for years less effective (or useless) may make some rage quit. Perhaps rather than change how fields work adding another way to win the battle which does not interfere with the current mechanics should be considered.

Thanks for reading, and if I think of anything else I will post.